THE TRUTH IN PRINT
February 2003, Vol. 9: Issue 1.
A Publication of the Valley church of Christ,
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364
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Not Looking for "the Church"
By Bob W. Lovelace
People I come into contact with who seem to
be religious and would like to know more about the Bible are most often not
looking for “the church.” Dear reader have you failed
to look for “the church”?
During His ministry Jesus spoke of “the
church” as being yet in the future. This is seen in the contextual use of His
expressions “My church” and “the church” (Matt. 16:18; 18:17). Matthew records Jesus
saying, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art
Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall
not prevail against it. [19] And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom
of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth
shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:18-19). “My” is possessive indicating that the church
belongs to Christ. Jesus is both the head and savior of the body which is the
church, Paul said (Eph.
5:23; Cp. 1:22-23). The book of Ephesians teaches the body is the church. Hear
Paul, “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over
all things to the church, [23] Which is his body, the fulness
of him that filleth all in all” (Eph. 1:22-23).The
word “church” in Matt. 16:18 is singular. There is but one church that Jesus is
the head of (Eph. 4:4; 1:22-23).
When Jesus said, “I will build My church” the church was yet in the future for Jesus had
not died. Both the establishment of “the church” and the forgiveness of sins
rested upon Christ’s death. One might ask, “How is the death of Christ related
to the establishment of
the church?” Consider that the church is that which was purchased
with the blood of Christ. The apostle Paul admonished the elders (also called
“overseers” or “bishops”) in the church at Ephesus “… to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased
with his own blood”(Acts 20:27). Yes, the church is the purchased possession
of Christ and Christians belong to Him (Eph. 1:14; I Cor.
6:19-20). Thus Peter can say, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed
with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation
received by tradition from your fathers; [19] But with the precious blood of
Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Concerning His own blood Jesus said, “For this is my blood of the new
testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). Thus remission of
sins is made possible by the blood of Christ (Matt. 26:28).
Notice carefully the continuum as the
scriptures present the death of Christ (Matt. 26:28), the establishment of “the
church” as His purchased possession (Matt. 16:18), the forgiveness of sins
enjoyed by members of the church, being Christians (Lk.
24:46-47; Acts 2:38, 41), and the inheritance the church is promised that
awaits the faithful and is yet in the future (Eph. 1:14; I Pet. 1:3-4).
Having already stated that Jesus’ blood was
shed for the remission of sins let us consider “where” this forgiveness is
found. The Bible plainly says that one has forgiveness when they are “in
Christ” (Rom. 6:3-4). Hear Paul, “In
whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according
to the riches of his grace” (Ephes. 1:7). The word
“redemption” means “to release upon payment of a ransom.” Moreover, the price
paid was the blood of Christ. Jesus said, “Even as the Son of man came not to
be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many”
(Matthew 20:28 (KJV). With this redemption through Christ’s blood
in mind, which enables members of the church to possess the forgiveness of
their sins, Paul refers to the church as “the saved.” Hear Paul, “For the
husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and
he is the saviour of the body” (Ephes.
5:23; Cp. 1:22-23). This means that the body, the church, is made up of the
saved “in Christ” (see Eph. 1:22-23). We have already
established that the church is His purchased possession (Acts 20:28; Eph. 1:14).
Dear reader allow me to digress briefly
back to the first point of this brief study. That being, there are so many
today who are simply not looking for “the church.” Why is this? One reason is
because they have not been taught that under the conditions of the New
Testament the church is the saved. One is either in that body, Christ’s church,
which is the saved or they’re not. If they are not then being outside the body
they are said to be enslaved to sin (Rom. 6:16-18). Interested reader the
singular baptism that is for the remission of one’s sins also puts one into
Christ, and for the same purposes puts one into the one body, the church (Acts
2:38; Gal. 3:26-27; I Cor. 12:13). Baptism is for the
remission of sins (Acts 2:38; Matt. 26:28; Rom. 6:3-4). Peter plainly said
that baptism is “for the remission” of one’s sins. Hear Peter, “Then Peter said
unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost”
(Acts 2:38; cp. I Pet. 3:20-21). Yes,
and that same baptism is “into Christ.” Hear Paul, “For as many of you as have
been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27). Above all, when one puts
on Christ in baptism, at the same time receiving from God the remission of
their sins, they are baptized “into one body,” the church. Hear Paul again,
“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or
Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one
Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13 (KJV). This time they are said
to have been translated out of the power of darkness and into Christ’s kingdom.
Paul further says, “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to
be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: [13] Who
hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the
kingdom of his dear Son” (Col. 1:12-13). Allow me to reemphasize that Paul
explains that this took place when they received forgiveness, being baptized.
Hear Paul again, “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made
without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the
circumcision of Christ: [12] Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are
risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him
from the dead” (Col. 2:11-12). Note the connection between Col. 1:12-13 and
Col. 2:11-12. It was at the time they were baptized thus having their sins
washed away that they were “translated into the kingdom” of Christ. Since they
had been translated “into the kingdom,” it is obvious from Paul’s statement
that the kingdom of Christ had come! Looking back to
the time Jesus made His statement, “I will give to you the keys of the
kingdom…” the Kingdom like the church was yet in the future, for He was yet to
give the apostles the keys to the kingdom. Thus both the building of the church
and giving of the keys of the kingdom to the apostles were yet in the future at
the time recorded in Matthew chapter sixteen. However, the kingdom did come just as Jesus said
that it would. And when it came not long after His promise as recorded on the
day of Pentecost in Acts 2 many Jews from all over the Empire heard, believed and were baptized for
the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38-41). Those who believed and were
baptized were added to the apostles that day and constituted the church (Acts 2:41, 47). Concerning the beginning of the
church on Pentecost we read, “Then they that gladly received his word were
baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand
souls.” From then on Luke records “… the Lord added to the church daily those
who were being saved” (Acts 2:47, KJV). Thereafter “the church” is spoken of as being
in existence having been established as we have seen, on Pentecost (Acts 2).
The necessary inference in the words “the church” as recorded in Acts 5:11 is that the church was
established just as Jesus had promised. In other words, when one pro- erly puts “together” the promise to both build the church
and give the apostles the keys of the kingdom, then they understand that “the
church” signifies those who have been translated from “darkness” into the kingdom of Christ! (Col. 1:12-13; 2:11-12;
Acts 2:38, 41,47; 5:11)
Belonging to “the church” and being simply
Christians our citizenship is in heaven where Christ reigns over all things
(Phil. 3:20-21; Eph. 1:20-21). As members of Christ’s church we eagerly await
for Him to return and take us to ever be with Him (I Th. 4:15-18).
Our earnest desire to be with Him is founded
upon our understanding that there will be a future “redemption of the purchased
possession” just as Paul says. Hear Paul, “In whom also we have obtained an
inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will …
until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory”
(Ephes. 1:11-14). This particular “redemption” spoken
of is the future “day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30) when those in the church
are glorified in heaven. Hear Peter, “To an inheritance incorruptible, and
undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in
heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4). And Paul spoke of it after this fashion, “For
our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: [21] Who shall change our
vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to
the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself ”(
Philip. 3:20-21).
As I approach people concerning the
salvation that the saved enjoy in the church they will say such things as,
“Does your church have a school for my kids?” No, for “the church” that Christ
established and is the head of does not exist to give a secular education! That
is not the purpose of the church. It seems that people are interested in
everything but salvation being in the one body, the church. Others ask if the
church gives out money for various secular reasons. Some even go so far as to
view the church as a social service organization. Perhaps government policy has
stimulated such thinking of late. Those who think that is what Christ’s church
is about simply have not yet found “the church.”
Are you looking
for “the church”?
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If
you are looking for "the church" that you read about in your New
Testament then you will find an in depth study of that very church right here
on our website, Fundamental Lessons on the Church.
Just click here for
Lesson One.
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